Small Gifts
by Rumbelleluv
Summary: Sometimes the smallest gifts are the biggest. Belle is going about her day in the Dark Castle, when she suddenly sees Rumplestiltskin spinning at his wheel. A bit of curiousity ensues, and a question leads into some unexpected events for the both of them, leading them to question their feelings for each other. Dark Castle Rumbelle fic, enjoy!


**Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction. I did this as part of the Rumbelle Secret Santa! My giftee is Prissyhalliwell! I had a lovely time being your Santa! I really hope you enjoy this story, it was a real learning experience for me and I had a lot of fun writing it! Enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Small Gifts**

Belle French spent most of her evenings in the Dark Castle reading. When she wasn't cleaning, she was always reading. Books excited her. They were filled with stories of magic and mystery and love. There was never one that she didn't enjoy, especially the ones from her library.

The library, which Rumplestiltskin gave to her. His gesture was still fresh in her mind. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. She was right when she told him he wasn't who she thought he was. The unspoken truth was that he was so much more wonderful than she could have ever imagined. Maybe he _tried_ to be scary, sometimes. Maybe he pretended he didn't care about her, but Belle knew better. Belle knew that's why her dungeon cell started to become more of a bedroom. Belle knew that's why he gave her the library, and why he would try to hide his happiness when she kept him company. He would pretend, but he was _so obvious._ And Belle thought it was the cutest thing.

She giggled and closed her book. _'It isn't so bad, living here._ ' She thought. The castle which at first seemed so dark and formidable was steadily growing on her, feeling more and more like a home.

She moved to put the book away on the shelf in front of her. Maybe she'd continue it later when she wasn't so lost in thought.

Down in the main foyer Rumplestiltskin ran one gold finger across the table. A trail of displaced dust caused him to slightly frown. "She spends more time reading than she does cleaning. Should have never given her that library." He spoke to himself, but he was sure Belle couldn't hear him. She was too entranced in one of those _love_ stories. His eye almost twitched at the idea of something like that being called entertainment. He took one last look at the dust trail and scoffed. "What am I keeping her around for?"

"Maybe because you like my company." Belle grinned, clearly unphased by his remarks on her maid duties. Rumplestiltskin turned to face her and saw that she was standing there in her normal maid attire, clutching a cloth used for dusting. He noted the mischievous twinkle in her eye, like she knew something he didn't. His eyes narrowed. "Now why would you say something like that?" His tone was cautionary and yet equally curious.

Belle gave him a sly little smile as she traveled towards the table to be cleaned, her small little rag swaying with each step she took. "No reason." A whimsical note in her tone told Rumplestiltskin that there most certainly _was_ a reason. Belle didn't turn away from the table to face him, but she could still sense his eyebrow raise in response.

"Well don't flatter yourself, dearie." And with a snap of his fingers, Belle's dust rag was missing and the table was completely clean. Belle turned and gaped at him. "If you are able to just snap your fingers and clean this place, what do you need me for?" She put her hands on her hips and gave him an astonished look.

 _'_ _ **Maybe**_ _I like having you around.'_ He thought. No, no, he would never indulge her so much as to admit that. Besides, the Dark One doesn't have time to play little love games.

' _You're a fool if you feel that way for her. She could never return it.'_ A voice not quite his own spoke to him. He wasn't surprised _it_ would say that, but he felt it was true.

He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and turned his attention towards her once more. Her peculiar expression and the way she tapped her fingers at her side made him no longer want to continue this line of conversation. Her defiance was all too alluring. "Make me a cup of tea, and be quick. I expect you'll return in a timely manner!" His voice held that infamous high pitch on the last word.

Belle opened her mouth to object, but before she could, she found herself in the kitchen. How dare he 'magic' her away after demanding his tea. He only did that when she was proving a point. He really didn't need her around for her cleaning abilities. He can clean the place in the blink of an eye and probably make his own tea too. So why can't he just admit he liked her being there?

Belle huffed in frustration. "How rude!" she yelled. She hoped it was loud enough for him to hear her, and he certainly did. Outside the kitchen, in the foyer, he lingered a bit. His mouth twitched, threatening to form a smile. He could envision her eyebrows furrowing and her bottom lip jutting out ever so slightly. The way she expressed her indignation was more endearing than anything else.

The tea didn't take long at all to prepare, mostly because Belle wanted to hurry back to the foyer and continue that conversation they were having. Plus, she had to show him she could return in a "timely manner," as he put it. She'd do more than that. She would show up in record time with his precious tea. When the tea set was prepared and placed on the tray, she carried it to the foyer as swiftly as she could.

She wasn't graceful coming through the doorway to the main room, partly because she was holding the tea with both hands, but also because she was still a little aggravated by his demand. When she got past the door, she made her way across the room to sit the tea set on the dining table. It clanked against the wood a little too loudly, and when no snide remark was made, Belle looked up to search the room for him. Her eyes eventually landed on him at his spinning wheel, actively spinning straw into gold.

He had been spinning so intensely that he didn't even hear her come into the room, or sit the tray on the table. Belle found that odd considering he could usually hear a pin drop from anywhere in the castle. She wondered if he was really that focused on spinning, or if in some ways, he actually let his guard down around her, at least from time to time.

She stared at him for a while, amazed at how the light from the window reflected on him. He just looked so _handsome._ And he was, ' _No matter what he may think.'_ The thought only fleeting as she watched him spin. He seemed so relaxed, a rare state of mind for him. She had never seen him more relaxed than when he was at the wheel.

Belle placed a finger on her chin as she began to ponder what it was like to spin straw. She'd never done it before, it was never something she had an interest in doing. Although, she was beginning to change her mind as she watched him. Her eyes moved to a small brown stool near the corner of the room, and then she came up with a wonderful idea.

Rumplestiltskin was lost in thought as he spun his straw. He knew the hour was getting late, but it didn't really matter to him. He didn't do much sleeping anyways. When there was nothing for him to do, no deals to be made, no moves to make, he'd often spin the night away. It was something he kept from his old life, a life when he was just an ordinary man. He had to keep some piece of himself, lest he lose himself to the darkness. He couldn't do that, not when he still had to find his son.

He spun for some time until a tiny voice brought him to a halt.

"Is this seat taken?" Belle chimed. He looked to the right of him and noticed a brown stool sitting there. He was sure it hadn't been there before; it used to be across the room from him. Taken back, he looked up to meet Belle's gaze. Belle looked at him expectantly. Her smile grew wider, and he was sure he had a really stupid look on his face. Something told him to refuse her, but when he looked up into her beaming expression, he couldn't bring himself to disappoint her.

He sighed. _'I suppose there is no harm in indulging her request.'_ He thought. He didn't even say a word, he just motioned with his hand for her to take a seat. Belle gladly plopped down on the stool beside him, with her hands in her lap. He continued spinning while Belle watched. He felt her eyes on him, and suddenly it became increasingly difficult for him to remain focused. She was in such close proximity to him that he didn't exactly know how to respond to the closeness. A warm feeling arose in him that he couldn't quite push down. Inside he knew what it was: He was growing fond of her.

 _'_ _You_ _love her.'_ Rumplestiltskin blinked. Was that really the case? They'd always shared a connection despite the cover of their constant bickering, but had his feelings progressed so far as to be considered love? Though he was perplexed by the possibility, deep down he knew it was probably true. He also knew it was foolish. Even if he did harbor those feelings for her, she could never return them. No one could love him, especially not someone as kind and beautiful as she.

' _She'll only ever see a monster.'_ The voice spoke to him again; it haunted him and followed him like the plague. It was the price he had to pay for his power. Sometimes he could ignore it, and other times it was impossible to shut it out. It played on all his insecurities, all his doubts and fears, until it was hard to discern its cruel manipulations from what he considered the truth.

He had almost forgotten that Belle was still seated next to him, and he wondered why she was there. What could possibly be of interest to her? Is there a specific reason she's taking so much pleasure out of observing him this way? Secretly, he liked the attention, though he'd never tell her. He just couldn't fathom what she found so intriguing about him.

 _'She is only interested in finding your weaknesses. She wishes to leave this place. After all, she isn't here willingly.'_ He squeezed his eyes shut. That was right. It's not as if she were here by her own decision.

' _Who could ever love you? She -'_

The voice cut off abruptly and he almost jumped. His mind grew quiet almost immediately and a considerable weight felt lifted from his chest. It suddenly occurred to him that he had stopped spinning quite a while ago. Startled, his eyes searched for what caused the change. What he found was Belle's small pale hand on his own. Her soft skin was lightly touching his, as if she was afraid he would pull back if she pressed too hard.

He didn't pull back, but his gaze traveled up her arm until he met her eyes, all filled with concern.

" _What_?" He asked defensively. It came out harsher than he would have liked.

Belle wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't have extensive knowledge about his curse. She supposed not much was known about it except by the afflicted. Despite this, Belle was observant, and it was clear he fought with demons, literal ones, that whispered awful things in his head.

Belle noticed he didn't remove his hand from underneath hers. She wondered if he just wasn't thinking about it, or the contact was welcome. Somehow she thought it was the latter rather than the former, but she knew better than to point it out. She gave his hand a squeeze, not really knowing what possessed her to do so. When he didn't shy away, she was sure she made the right choice.

He knew that she was trying to comfort him. Was he really that obvious? He always thought he was good at hiding his feelings, putting on a fitting outward appearance, but when she looked at him he felt like she could see right through his wall. Part of him wanted to pull away from her for that reason, but found that he was frozen in place.

Belle felt him beginning to withdrawal inwardly even if he did not pull back his hand. She knew he was uncomfortable revealing such a vulnerability to her, and she knew if he did feel like that, he would inevitably shut down and revert to his demanding and flippant persona she too often saw. It was with this knowledge that she opened her mouth quickly to speak before he could do so.

"I don't pretend to understand your plight, but Rumple," She paused a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I can find you interesting, can't I? I can want to learn about you without having a sinister motive. You were a man once; the man is still in there. People _can_ still care for you, I know I do. Don't let that _curse_ tell you the opposite."

Her words were wise as well as truthful. Belle didn't like thinking that he was convinced no one could like him or enjoy his company. He had no shortage of enemies, and he was probably lonely. After all, that was the true reason he brought her here to live with him. He didn't need a maid, he needed a companion.

Rumplestiltskin heard the affection with which she spoke. He could feel her wave of reassurances wash over him, though he knew it would be fleeting. There was a moment when he had thought to snap at her with a witty comeback. He wasn't angry, it was just a habit he couldn't break. Centuries of having no heartfelt interaction and a demon on his shoulder made him callous to it. Still, he couldn't bring himself to say a word.

His eyes had been avoiding her gaze for some time. He'd glanced at her face only briefly, and when he did, all he saw was caring and concern in her eyes. It was a while before he was able to fully lock eyes with her again. The genuine compassion she held for him was more than he deserved and never ceased to amaze him. He expressed a look of disbelief at how well she understood him, and how calm he felt in her presence. There were times when he looked at her and saw her decadent smile, beautiful eyes, radiant disposition, and he couldn't believe she seemed happy here with him. There were times, like this time, when he could see her staring back at him, into him, and he could almost forget he was cursed.

They sat in silence for a long while. Belle felt that what she had said had gotten through to him. Her lip poked out slightly as she thought of what to say next, and then she remembered what she had originally wanted to ask him in the first place.

Her eyes slowly shifted to curiosity and wonder as a small smile crept across her face. "I wondered if you might teach me to spin."

He snapped out of his daze as what she said registered in his mind. She could tell he was surprised at her request. He gave her a bit of a strange look as if she were crazed. "That is ridiculous. You won't be able to make it into gold. You don't have magic!" He exclaimed.

"I don't need to make it into gold. I just wanted to learn about the craft. You spin almost every night, sometimes even during the day. You'd be a great teacher." She beamed.

Did she just refer to him as a great teacher? Somehow he doubted that. He felt her squeeze his hand in anticipation and he remembered she was still holding it. He cleared his throat and moved to stand up, the closeness becoming too much for him. After a moment of thinking about it, he agreed. "Very well," he said, "Sit there and I'll show you." He pointed at where he previously sat, and Belle switched seats, he taking the one beside her.

He showed her the exact method of spinning, where to place the straw, at what pace to spin the wheel, and so forth. Belle found it was quite harder than he made it seem. She always thought it was so easy when she watched him. He was clearly very talented at it.

Belle fiddled with the wheel a bit longer, amazed at how patient he was with her. She'd messed up so many times, and he'd always get her back on track. After a while, she could spin on her own. _'I'm finally getting better at this.'_ She thought proudly. She was so happy to be doing so well that she barely noticed when Rumplestiltskin moved to a different position behind her. Slowly he reached around her with both arms so that each of his hands were on hers.

Belle froze. She wondered if he realized how close he was to her in this moment. She could feel his breath on her neck. It was enough to give her goosebumps. Her heart raced when she heard him speak. "Keep spinning. I can't make the magic work if you don't." Belle's face heated up and she hoped he didn't notice. "A-Alright." She stuttered.

Belle began the spinning once again. Rumplestiltskin's hands moved with hers, never letting go. Soon enough, a golden strand appeared at the end of the wheel. Belle gasped as her eyes widened and she realized what was happening.

The straw was being spun into gold.

Rumplestiltskin sensed her shock and enthusiasm. Silently he prided himself in being able to please her. Belle sped up the pace of her spinning, eagerly watching as every strand turned to gold. She knew it wasn't really her own doing, but she felt like it was, and she was having fun. In truth, he was as well.

Time went on, and the hour grew late. Belle's spinning slowed down gradually until it came to a stop. He didn't question that she was growing tired. He thought to move from behind her now that she was finished, but he was sure she would fall backwards if he did. Her eyelids drooped, and every so often her head would start to fall forward before she snapped awake again.

"Perhaps you should get some sleep." Rumplestiltskin whispered, not wanting to startle her in the quietness of the room. When Belle didn't respond, he tapped her shoulder gently, which also garnered no response. He wasn't sure how she managed to fall asleep positioned upright like she was. However, it seemed that no sooner did he have the thought, Belle swayed backwards into his chest. He bristled at the unexpected contact. "Belle!" he yelled.

The loudness of his voice didn't wake her.

The way she was laying against him caused him to stiffen. Her head was positioned almost directly under his chin, and the back of her neck pressed against his upper chest. When he finally began to relax, he came to realize the irony of the situation. The maid who used to be princess was sleeping against the Dark One who used to be commoner. Admittedly, though, he quite enjoyed this predicament. He didn't have a charade to put up while she was asleep, so there was no reason to move her just yet.

He allowed her to lay against him for a while, relishing the contact between them. She wouldn't remember any of this the next day anyways. He would just tell her that she fell asleep at the wheel and he moved her to her bed. She would continue to fold clothes and clean the castle. They could fall back into their normalcy tomorrow. For now, he would just hold her and savor this feeling of peacefulness which he hadn't felt in so long.

After a few more minutes passed, Rumplestiltskin decided that he really couldn't have her waking up wondering why he was allowing her to rest against him. More than that, he wouldn't want to answer her when she asked why his arms were positioned around her like they were. She would never let him live it down.

As quietly and as gently as he could, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to her chamber. The door blew open of its own accord as he entered the room. He slowly placed Belle down on the bed, careful not to wake her. Panic arose quickly when he saw Belle shift onto her side, but it settled when he realized she was still asleep. He took one last glance at her angelic form before disappearing from her room in a cloud of dark red smoke.

When Belle was absolutely sure he had left, her eyes popped wide open and a gigantic smile spilled across her face. A giggle was dangerously close to escaping her throat. It took everything she had to suppress the urge. Indeed, little did Rumplestiltskin know, Belle had actually been awake the _entire time._

She rolled on her back and stared up at the dark ceiling. She was absolutely giddy. There was no way she was going to get much sleep tonight. She couldn't believe what had just transpired between them. He had actually taught her how to spin straw. More than that, he used his magic to let her pretend she was the one spinning it into gold. It wasn't necessary, her time would have been equally well spent even if he hadn't, but he had gone out of his way to do so just to ensure her enjoyment.

Belle was sure he cared for her; she had been sure of it for a long time. He always tried to hide it. There were rare occasions when they would have heartfelt conversation or share a moment, but normally he actively tried to hide his affections from her. Belle really liked spending time with him even when he was being obnoxious. He could always bring a smile to her face.

It was because she loved their little moments together that she pretended to fall asleep at the wheel. She was tired, that much was true. She used that as an excuse to fall asleep on him and hoped he would react well to it. She half expected it to backfire and he catch her faking, but was pleasantly surprised when he just let her lay there. He believed that she had been asleep, and so he had nothing to hide. Belle was so touched by how gentle and caring he was when he didn't have a façade to keep up. He would never have held her like that if he had known she was awake.

Belle rolled back onto her side and closed her eyes again. She loved how he held her, letting her use him as a pillow. The way he seemed tense at first, but relaxed. How she could feel him breathing. She didn't care if it was only for a few minutes. It made her feel warm and safe, as if she could lay there forever and never leave.

 _'You've fallen head over heels awfully quickly.'_

A feeling grew in her heart, one that had taken root some time ago. It was warm and it was pleasant and she knew every time she felt it, that she had never felt anything like it before. It was unique and special and it grew stronger every day. She didn't know where it would take her, where it would take _them,_ but she knew it was a mystery to be uncovered. After all, _that's love._

With the last word lingering in her head, Belle drifted off to sleep. The distant sound of a spinning wheel whirring in the background.

~XOXOXO~

The next day Belle awoke early. It was barely even sunrise, and yet she was wide awake. She'd had a wonderful sleep, the best one she'd had in a long time. She opened the door slightly and exited the room, her feet tapping along the floor, barely audible.

She peaked out into the main area and found Rumplestiltskin was nowhere in sight. She was a little disappointed not to find him there, but maybe he expected her to question him about last night's events. Belle was sure he would dodge those questions, if she had any.

She decided he'd probably make her get to work right away, but she'd really love a cup of tea before she started. As swiftly and quietly as she could, she made her way across the foyer, stopping for only a moment to stare at his spinning wheel. Her mouth began to curl into a smile as she thought about him holding her in the quietness of the room. She forcefully tore her gaze away from the wheel, not wanting Rumplestiltskin to catch her before she made her way to the kitchen.

It wasn't long before Belle had a cup of tea prepared for herself and she made her way up to her library. As she entered the room, she took a seat near the wall where she had been reading the day before. The folded page in her book marked where she had left off. She opened it up and dived right in.

For some time, Belle sat there with her tea and her book, until she figured she'd been reading for a longer amount of time than she planned. She expected Rumplestiltskin to come get her by now, ask her why she was reading and not cleaning, why she made a cup of tea for herself and not for him, and why she hadn't washed any clothes yet. Belle was going to do all these things later of course, but she knew if she didn't do them right when he expected that he would have a fit.

It suddenly dawned on her that maybe he was actively avoiding her. Even though he thought she was asleep, maybe he still felt a little out of place after their recent closeness.

"He's can be so cute sometimes." She said out loud. For being the Dark One, he sure wasn't very dark with her. Belle shook her head and laughed, and then continued her book. He would come out of hiding eventually.

~XOXOXO~

Rumplestiltskin appeared in front of the window beside his spinning wheel. Since last night, all he'd done was spun gold, and he needed some air. He had hoped to avoid Belle for as long as he could while he thought of ways to answer all her questions. Would she ask him why he was so nice to her? Would she ask him if he liked spinning gold with her? Was he prepared to answer those questions? He supposed he could just be honest and tell her he had a nice time. The problem was that part of him was worried what she'd think of him for it. She seemed to have fun, but how could he be sure she wasn't faking it?

 _'Do you really think she'd actually want to spend time with you? She wants to leave this place. If she pleases you, you might let her go.'_

He didn't want to believe that, he wasn't sure how he _could_ believe that. Nonetheless, he didn't want to risk making a fool out of himself, so he would act the same way he always did, demanding and impish, avoidant of her questions and sarcastic at best if he did answer them. That was the only way he could be sure of her reactions. It was the only way he could feel secure that his recent kindness wouldn't set him up for a fall. If he pretended not to take the situation seriously, then it wouldn't matter whether she liked spending time with him or not, and he wouldn't have to risk finding out.

When he had figured out how to approach her, he decided to head up to the library where she was surely reading. He knew Belle never wanted to put a book down, but she had cleaning to do and he couldn't have her thinking he'd gone lax on her.

He climbed the spiral staircase and pushed the door open rather forcefully.

"What are you doing up here, dearie? Don't you have cleaning to do?" he remarked.

Belle wasn't exactly surprised by his crude behavior. She slowly peered up from her book to meet his gaze. "I was wondering when you'd come for me. I was just having a morning read before I started today's chores."

"Yes, well, playtime is over. You're here to clean the castle. You'll get to read when I see that you've done so." His tone was a bit forced. Belle took notice of it.

"Is there a reason why you're being particularly impatient this morning?" Belle asked. "I never slack on cleaning, I just like to have some mornings to read instead of starting my task as soon as I wake up." She continued.

Rumplestiltskin scoffed. "How will my tea get made if you are always busy reading?"

Belle raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you make your own tea?" It was meant to be an innocent question, but instead it came out as a retort.

His expression was one of bewilderment. At first, he wasn't sure how to respond. All he could do for a few minutes was stare at her in shock. She _was_ his maid. He'd have to remind her of that. "You are—" Belle cut him off as soon as he began.

"I am your _maid._ I know. I haven't forgotten. But that isn't what this is about, is it? This is you racking your brain wondering if I had a hidden motive for wanting to learn more about you and your interests." She stated.

"Didn't you?" He replied skeptically.

Belle's mouth opened ever so slightly, as if in disbelief. "No, I didn't. I never do. I actually _like_ spending time with you, and I had fun spinning with you last night. Why can't you believe that?"

He cast his eyes away from her. Belle saw a brief opening and added, "I always mean what I say. I don't like the idea of deceiving people; I don't think I'd be very good at it if I tried. So, know that my words are true: You make wonderful company, and I hope you'll let me spin straw with you again someday. I had a lovely time."

He looked up once more and found her shining a vibrant smile at him. He felt the honesty in what she had said. He never understood how every time he had a moment of self-doubt, even without making it known, she found a way to eradicate the insecurity from his mind. It meant more to him than she would ever know. Before he knew it, he was ever so slightly, returning the smile.

"I'll let you get back to reading." He said simply. He didn't plan on making her go back to work now. It could wait. As he turned to leave the room, he was stopped in mid-step by Belle's voice.

"Would you still like me to make you some tea?" She asked curiously, suddenly guilty that she had a cup and he did not.

Calmly, he replied, "Ah, no. That will be fine. Just go back to your reading." And he turned to leave the room once more. This time, with his back turned, Belle caught him again.

"One more thing, about last night," she started. "You make a great pillow. If you ever want to hold me like that again, don't be afraid to ask." She added playfully.

Rumplestiltskin froze on the spot. He was still turned away from her, and he was glad for it. It suddenly hit him that Belle had been awake _the whole time._ She had been aware he was holding her the _whole time_. _The entire time._ His face started to heat up. If it was possible for his face to turn red, it certainly was now.

He took a deep breath, and finally forced himself to take a step forward and leave the room. As he shut the door, Belle's faint giggle echoed in his ears.

~XOXOXO~

Belle had been in the library reading for a while. Far longer than she usually did whenever she had a chance to read in the morning. It was about time for her to start doing the chores. She'd also make Rumplestiltskin that cup of tea he wanted earlier, despite his refusing when she had offered previously. She didn't plan on making him wait too long for that.

Just as Belle was about to shut her book, Rumplestiltskin's voice broke through the silence and startled her.

"Is this seat taken?" He asked plainly.

Wide-eyed, Belle looked at him and then to the right of her, where she noticed a chair she was sure hadn't been sitting there before. She formed a huge grin when she realized he had taken a page from her book. _'Sneaky!'_ she thought, as she motioned for him to take a seat beside her.

As he sat down, she noticed he had a cup of tea in his hand. "Here." He said, as he handed her the teacup. She sat her book on her lap and took the cup from him. "Did you make this for me?" She asked in astonishment.

"I did." He responded. He was a little proud to say he brought her a cup of tea instead of it being the other way around.

Belle looked at the cup of tea she was now holding. She had already had a cup, but she was just delighted that he took the time to make this for her. Touched, she gave him a soft "Thank you." As she put the cup to her lips and sipped the tea, she gave him a bit of a side-eye. "Did you use magic to make this?" She asked suspiciously. He gave her a blank look. "No."

Her eyebrows both rose in surprise.

"Well don't look so shocked! It wasn't exactly difficult!" He exclaimed.

"No, no! It's just- It's very good." She explained. Rumplestiltskin squinted, unsure if she was serious. He didn't do anything special, it's just tea.

A few minutes passed while Belle continued to sip her tea.

"Belle, I'm aware that you enjoy reading stories, but have you ever written them?" His question broke the silence. Belle pondered it for a second, then she replied "No, I don't think I have. I did have a journal once… but I liked to write stories from my own life in it. I haven't been able to do that in quite a long time."

"Is that so?" He posed the question more to himself than to her. Belle sat the teacup down near her feet and studied his face, wondering what his intentions were.

All the sudden, a medium-sized golden engraved book appeared in his hands. Along came a beautiful silver quill that had a white feather at the top. "Now you can again." He spoke softly, as he handed her the journal and quill.

Belle gasped as she took both items into her hands with child-like wonder. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the outside of the journal itself was a light silver, embroidered with a golden design that laced the edges of its cover. The quill had the whitest feather she had ever seen. They were absolutely gorgeous and she was at a loss for words.

"Rumple, I- T-These are beautiful." She stammered out. "I-I don't know what to say. You didn't have to do this." She stuttered.

He had hoped she would like them. "The quill is enchanted. It won't ever require ink. Anytime you use it to write, the words will take to the page by themselves." He pointed out.

Belle marveled at the journal and quill. Still stunned, she grabbed his shoulder. "Thank you so much, truly. These are wonderful." She gushed.

Deciding to be bold, Rumplestiltskin took hold of the hand that was on his shoulder. He cupped it gently between both of his, taking note of the contrast between her porcelain skin and his scaly golden fingers. "I'm glad they've pleased you."

She gave him an adorable little smile that made his insides melt. He gave her hand a small pat and moved to stand up. She saw that he was about to move to the door and suddenly remembered she had dishes to clean and clothes to wash. "Oh my- I almost forgot I had chores today!" She stressed.

He immediately turned back around and put his hand up. "No, don't fret over them. Have a day off." He insisted. He'd allow her time to play with her new gifts, just for today. He was in a good mood, a generous one. Maybe it was uncharacteristic of him, maybe it wasn't. Either way, he'd let her have the day to herself. "You can continue them tomorrow." He added.

"Okay." She resigned. As he turned once more to leave, Belle stopped him again.

"Wait—before you go," Belle scribbled something down in the journal as quickly as she could and carefully tore out the page. "Belle, what-"

Before he could finish, she ran over to him and placed the small folded piece of paper in his hand. "Just make sure to read that later." She urged. He sighed, wondering why she didn't just say what she wanted to say, but he didn't question it. "Very well." He agreed, and exited the library in his usual magical way.

Belle walked back over to her quill and journal, picking them up and hugging both of them to her chest admiringly, wondering how she'd ever be able to thank him.

Down near his spinning wheel in the foyer, Rumplestiltskin opened his hand to reveal the tiny piece of paper that Belle had written on. He unfolded it, and read:

 _I wasn't kidding about the tea. You're_ _ **certain**_ _you didn't use magic?!_

For the first time, in longer than he could remember, Rumplestiltskin actually laughed. Not due to his own trickery, or making a deal, or because he was winning something. It wasn't his high pitched giggle, either. It was a harmless, innocent laugh. As he walked to the window with the sun shining through, he was left with a completely smitten smile on his face. As he stare outward, Belle snuck down from the library and watched him from around the corner of the doorway, a silly little smile of her own forming on her lips.

It seemed _she_ had not been the only one swept off her feet today.

~~THE END~~


End file.
